Wet processing technique for producing terry fabrics

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional methods for manufacturing terry fabrics using Polyvinyl Alcohol (PVA) result in fabrics that are not durable, exhibit inferior appearance after repeated washes, and are costly and detrimental to the environment, with issues of lint loss and shrinkage.

Innovation Solution

An improved wet processing method involving enzymatic treatment, hot air beat-up, and optimized finishing parameters to produce terry fabrics without PVA, enhancing softness, absorbency, and pile standing ability, while reducing lint loss and improving fabric alignment.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Shape

If PVA fibers are used to produce soft and bulky terry fabrics, then softness and bulk are improved, but durability and appearance after repeated washes deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefabric bulk and softnessVSAvoidfabric durability after repeated washes

Core Design Contradiction:

ShapeVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent removes PVA fibers from the fabric structure entirely, replacing them with a mechanical hot air beat-up process that creates the desired bulk and softness through physical relaxation of cotton fibers rather than chemical dissolution of synthetic fibers

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the chemical mechanism (PVA dissolution in hot water) with a mechanical mechanism (hot air beat-up process with tumbling action) to achieve the same effect of creating empty spaces and relaxing fiber structure for softness and bulk

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Shape

If PVA is used in fabric production, then softness is improved, but environmental harm and processing cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefabric softnessVSAvoidenvironmental harm from PVA

Core Design Contradiction:

ShapeVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent converts the harmful environmental aspect of PVA usage into a benefit by eliminating PVA entirely and using a naturally friendly hot air beat-up process that achieves softness without environmental harm or costly effluent treatment

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces expensive PVA fibers and costly recovery processes with a simple, economical hot air beat-up process using air and mechanical tumbling that achieves the same softness effect without ongoing processing costs

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

3Productivity

If conventional wet processing methods are used, then fabric production is achieved, but lint loss and shrinkage occur

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefabric production efficiencyVSAvoidlint loss and shrinkage

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies the hot air beat-up process as a preliminary treatment before final fabric formation, relaxing and aligning fibers in advance to prevent subsequent lint loss and shrinkage during washing and finishing operations

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the physical parameters of fiber arrangement through controlled hot air exposure and mechanical tumbling, creating a stable fiber structure that resists further shrinkage and lint loss during subsequent processing

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The method results in terry fabrics with enhanced softness, quick absorbency, reduced lint loss, and improved pile standing ability, achieving a relaxed and aligned fiber structure without the use of PVA, making the process cost-effective and environmentally friendly.

Implementation Method 1

subjecting the pre-treated fabric to a hot air beat-up process. The hot air beat-up process comprises mechanically treating the pre-treated fabric in open-width in a textile tumbling machine with optimized hot air beat-up parameters, wherein air is blown onto the pre-treated fabric from both directions for a predetermined duration and at a predetermined frequency

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal energy: Heating

Implementation Method 2

treating a woven fabric based on an enzymatic treatment process, wherein the woven fabric is de-sized using optimized dosage of predetermined de-sizing ingredients

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectEnzymatic treatment: Enzyme

Data Source

PatentUS11807984B2Wet processing technique for producing terry fabrics

Publication Date: 2023.11.07 TRIDENT LTD(IN)

AI summary

An improved wet processing method for producing improved terry fabrics is provided. Woven fabric is treated based on enzymatic treatment process including de-sizing using optimized dosage of predetermined de-sizing ingredients, washed and bio-washed using optimized dosage of bio-washing ingredients. Enzyme treated fabric is pre-treated and subjected to hot air beat-up process comprising mechanically treating pre-treated fabric with optimized hot air beat-up parameters. Air is blown onto pre-treated fabric from both directions for predetermined duration and at predetermined frequency causing to and fro movement of fabric in tumbling chambers of tumbling machine resulting in an instantaneous impact produced on every pile loop of pre-treated fabric such that fibers rearrange in a path of least resistance to produce relaxed, open and aligned fiber structure in the fabric. Mechanically treated hot air-beaten up fabric is dyed and includes finishing the dyed fabric with softener and subjected to tumbling using optimized finishing parameters.